Israel’s Top Scientists Mentoring Talented YU Undergrads

Twenty-eight select undergraduate science majors from Yeshiva College and Stern College for Women have arrived in Israel to participate in the third Summer Science Research Internship program, a joint initiative with Bar-Ilan University (BIU) that will enable the students to gain hands-on experience in emerging scientific fields while being mentored by Israel’s top scientists.

During the seven-week research experience, the students will be placed in intensive internships with top BIU faculty members, including those from the Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials and the Gonda Brain Research Center, and will work in the university’s state-of-the-art research laboratories.

The program, which is scheduled to run June 23—August 8, was founded by Professor Chaim Sukenik, a Yeshiva University alumnus who holds the Edward and Judy Steinberg Chair in Nanotechnology at Bar-Ilan.

“The quality of the students joining us each year has been consistently high, and their enthusiasm and work ethic has been most impressive. These Yeshiva University students have distinguished themselves as a group and have made it a simple task to get my colleagues to agree to take them into their labs,” said Professor Sukenik. “It is truly a pleasure working with these students, and it is our hope that the program continues for years to come.”

Yeshiva University shares the sentiment, as it sees this unique learning experience as invaluable and essential for the growth and advancement of its most promising young scientists. “The YU-BIU program adds so much to the existing science and research education of our students, including the world-famous research base, the high-level mentorship, and a strong peer group of Israeli students, scholars in their own right,” said Dr. Anatoly Frenkel, professor of physics and the coordinator of the Summer Science Research Internship program at Stern College.

Based on the students’ applications to the program and their past academic work, Dr. Frenkel and his team worked to match the students with mentors and research assignments that will not only enhance their summer experience but also promote individual growth and career development. While the focus is primarily on lab work, the program also includes trips to scientific and industrial sites around the country and a series of lunch meeting with BIU faculty members.

“The internship program is a fantastic opportunity for our undergraduate students with a strong background in the sciences to experience the nurturing, interdisciplinary research environment and to develop their basic research skills,” said Dr. Raji Viswanathan, professor of chemistry and the project coordinator at Yeshiva College. “It is also important to us that, as they grow, the students understand the special relationship that exists between scientific excellence and the religious values shared by both Yeshiva University and Bar-Ilan.”

In addition to providing an enriching educational experience for YU students and increasing the positive visibility of Israel, the Summer Science Research Internship program also opens the door for scientists at Yeshiva University and Bar-Ilan University to pursue collaborative projects and encourages faculty to visit each other’s campuses to share their research interests. v

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